Spend money wisely on healthcare: O’Neill

The National National

MONEY should be properly spent on testing and provision of personal protection equipment to keep healthcare workers safe, former prime minister Peter O’Neill says.
Ialibu-Pangia MP O’Neill said this after Foreign Affairs Minister Patrick Pruaitch suggested O’Neill get his priorities right when criticising alleged misuse of funds for the Covid-19.
O’Neill, in response, urged him to come clean on any information he has on his claims of wrongdoing by the past government.
“The cheap political points-scoring by Patrick Pruaitch is a sign that the Government is very sensitive to any question relating to the misuse of funds on the SOE (state of emergency),” he said in a statement.
“There are many questions that need to be answered in relation to the misuse of public monies on this SOE, but instead of providing real figures on how much is being wasted to pay for hire cars and consultants, the best the Government can do is go on the attack.
“The current Treasurer (Ian Ling-Stuckey) was the person who raised the questions, so why can’t the Government provide answers and back this up with facts?
“The Covid-19 is a health issue, it is not a policing matter, and money must be properly spent on testing and the provision of personal protection equipment to keep our healthcare workers safe.”
O’Neill said people were suffering because of the SOE.
“The food shortages around the country are not because of the coronavirus, people are going hungry because of the terrible mismanagement of the SOE and heavy handedness in the wrong areas,” he said.
“The Government does not even know how many Covid-19 cases there are in the country and contact tracing is not proven to be effective.
“How is it that of the eight declared cases, there is no real knowledge on how they became infected and who they, in turn, infected?
“Infections do not appear in isolation, they are linked to other people and groups, and most countries are able to trace these connections and prevent further infections.”

7 comments

  • Agree, to date no clear information on how this 8 individual contracting this virus. Covid-19 is in the country even before we knew it.

  • Correct, contacts tracing for The three Confirmed cases in Western Province is still a mystery and these people are looking very healthy and no signs or symptom of COVID-19. How did they contract this virus remains unanswered.

  • PO was sitting at the same table with most individuals in the current government during his reign.
    They got infected with his COVID19 so we are going broke.

  • At least something good was done to help the country get back on it feet. PO how about your misuse during your reign, APEC car are lying around, incomplete projects.

  • Papua New Guinea should have been a better place had Peter O’Neil not Mortgage these country into borrowing AU$3.0 billion loan from UBS, had he not over spent K3.0 billion on Pacific Games, had he not over spent K2.1 billion on APEC Meet, over spent K1.2 billion on NCD roads, over spent K750. million on Motu Kea Wharf purchase from Curtain Bros and the list goes on….
    Peter O’Neil, the least PNG want to hear is you criticizing the Government… And NEVER EVER dream about coming back again in 2022 because, the country has been deceived BIG Time by you.
    Why did you borrow AU$3.0 billion from UBS when you need only AU$1.7 billion. Your reason to purchase Oil Search Share is in itself trying to re-finance a large conglomerate which is called Oil Search….. NOT FOR THE INTEREST OF PNG…..
    Listen, O’Neil…. my very good brother….. when people are silent in PNG does not mean they like you…. It means… there is a demon in you that we do not want to be part of that demon…. so it’s better we keep our mouth shout… Only time will tell…. whether you die a peaceful death or you cry and struggle until you truly confess… you have robed PNG good and big time….

  • The Former Prime should feel ashamed of himself and shut his mouth, he is yet to be cleared on UBS Loan that failed to follow Fiscal Policy plan and did the blunder to PNG Economy. As a result of that small people right around the country are now feeling the pinch of his ill guided decision to pursue the UBS Loan.

    You are yet to be cleared so shut your mouth and cease from making any media statement. Your presence on the media is causing a lot of pain.

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